Indians are Rado's Biggest Customer Base Globally: CEO Adrian Bosshard

India is a very unique market demographically, with a large and extremely young population. It is also a population that is highly digitally oriented. Over the past 10–15 years, digitalisation has increased significantly, and today Indian consumers are instantly informed about what is happening in Switzerland, Europe, the US, or China, they are globally aware.

Because Rado is a global and highly dynamic brand with strong innovation at its core, this global visibility has further increased interest among young Indians. They see what the brand is doing worldwide, while also recognising that Rado has deep roots in India, supported by strong Bollywood associations, extensive local activities, and meaningful partnerships across the country.

Due to Rado’s deep, long-standing roots in India and decades of market-building, we are today in a position where we truly dominate the Indian watch market in the ₹1–₹5 lakh price segment. This has been the result of consistent, long-term effort, and with the support of our retail partners and sustained strategic investments, we continue to strengthen this leadership and our core strengths.

At the same time, holding such a strong position in a market as large as India with nearly 1.5 billion people, including a significant Indian diaspora globally has a major influence on the overall development of the Rado brand worldwide. As a result, the Indian community has become Rado’s largest customer base globally.

India is our single biggest market, and we are extremely proud of that. It is also one of the key reasons why, even in a challenging global market environment, Rado has been able to perform very successfully over the past few years.

We have been working with Hrithik for over ten years, and with Katrina for several years now. Both of them are a perfect fit for the Rado brand. They are ambitious, highly successful, and deeply aligned with the values Rado stands for, including sustainability and a strong focus on innovation.

They are not just actors but true artists in their fields, always committed to delivering their best and connecting with their audience. This mirrors Rado’s own philosophy of working with passion and dedication to deliver exceptional experiences to our customers. The way Hrithik and Katrina approach their craft aligns seamlessly with the mindset of our product development teams, which is why these have been long-term collaborations.

As a result, the communication we create together feels authentic and is very well received by audiences not only in India, but across global markets as well.

Yes, it is truly remarkable. In the ₹1–5 lakh price segment, we hold over 50% market share, which means we clearly dominate the market. This is the result of long-term efforts strong foundations, an extensive service network, robust distribution, and consistent local market activities.

At the same time, we support this with powerful global activations as a premium Swiss watch brand. It is a true 360-degree approach to the Indian market designed to attract customers and give them compelling reasons to choose a Rado watch for emotional milestones in their lives, whether it is a wedding, a birthday, or a significant personal achievement.

We are not afraid of competition. In fact, competition makes the choice more interesting for consumers. Most of the competitors you mentioned operate in different price segments and are not Swiss-made.

Our Swiss-made heritage is a unique and powerful asset. It is a true mark of quality in watchmaking. We have been creating watches for over 100 years and working with high-tech ceramics for more than 40 years, continuously pushing the boundaries of innovation since the brand’s foundation.

That is why we remain focused on ourselves rather than on competitors. Our goal is to surprise customers every year, to excite them, and to emotionally connect with them, touching the hearts of consumers through innovation, design, and craftsmanship.

They are natural diamond watches. Today, the market also includes lab-grown or industrially produced diamonds, but that is not what we work with. We use genuine, natural diamonds sourced from nature.

This is an important segment for us, particularly in women’s watches for weddings and significant anniversaries. Families often prefer to gift diamond watches for such occasions, and diamonds bring joy. This is especially true in India.

A Rado watch delivers exceptional value to its owners over the long term. The resale market is relatively small because Rado owners typically do not want to sell their watches. They prefer to keep them, as there is a strong emotional connection.

I personally own several Rado watches, including some from before I joined the company, and I would never consider selling them because of that emotional attachment. For this reason, the pre-owned market is not a primary focus for us—Rado owners tend to hold on to their watches.

At the same time, the value of a Rado watch continues to grow, driven by the deepening emotional bond and long-term relationship customers have with their timepieces.

India has now surpassed China in terms of population and is currently in a strong growth phase, while China is in more of a consolidation phase after two decades of rapid expansion.

I personally believe India has a very bright future over the coming decades. The country benefits from a young demographic, steadily improving education levels, and a population that is ambitious, hardworking, intelligent, and well informed.

As a result, innovation will naturally accelerate, industries will expand, the job market will strengthen, and an increasing number of consumers will be able to participate in the luxury watch segment. In this space, Rado is already a significant player.

Our objective is to remain consistently close to end consumers through truly premium retail experiences where the beauty of our watches, the essence of our brand, and the uniqueness of our design are clearly communicated through high-quality retail stores and boutiques.

With this approach, I am confident the market will continue to grow economically. However, our primary focus and my personal priority is customer satisfaction. Creating long-term pleasure and emotional connection for our consumers. When you pursue this ambition, everything else naturally follows.

I see high two digits growth every year, for sure. As we did in the last year.

Digital platforms primarily serve as sources of information. Customers discover the brand and stay informed through social media, the brand website, YouTube, and other global platforms.

However, the majority of purchases continue to take place at brick-and-mortar points of sale. This is where customers can truly experience the Rado difference, by touching the watches, trying them on, and understanding what sets a Rado timepiece apart from other brands. As a result, physical retail will remain, by far, the most important distribution channel in the future.

We are therefore very selective in our expansion strategy. We do not aim to grow in terms of the number of points of sale, but rather in terms of quality.

Currently, we have around 210 points of sale in India, and this number will remain largely stable.

While the largest share of our business continues to come from tier 1 cities, we are increasingly seeing strong demand for luxury goods in tier 2 and tier 3 markets as well. These cities are home to consumers with both the purchasing power and a genuine interest in luxury timepieces.

Whenever we identify the right opportunities to establish high-quality retail presence in these markets, we do so with great enthusiasm. Even today, nearly one-third of our business comes from tier 2 and tier 3 cities, highlighting the significant growth potential we see in these regions.

Rado and Swiss-made are inseparable. The brand was founded in Switzerland and has always been produced there, and this will remain unchanged. It is one of our greatest brand assets.

Our expertise lies in Switzerland, where our research and development, manufacturing facilities, and generations of skilled employees are based. This heritage and competence are fundamental to Rado, and they are not something we intend to change.

The trade agreement that has had the most significant impact on the watch industry is undoubtedly the Switzerland–India trade deal, under which duties have been reduced gradually. This creates a real advantage for consumers, as they are paying more for the product itself rather than for taxes.

The agreements between India and the US, and between India and Europe, are also positive developments. However, they do not directly affect the watch industry, as Rado timepieces are manufactured in Switzerland.